Hawaii Weddings Q & A
Q. Can I customize my Hawaii wedding package?
A. Yes. You can customize the time, location, date, flowers, vows, services, etc... You can also add elements to your package if you want. Even though it's a package, it's still all about you.
Q. Can I add things to my package?
A. Absolutely!
Q. If I remove something from my Hawaii wedding package, will it lower the price?
A. If you choose to not use an element that is included in your package we will not deduct the price but whenever possible we will exchange it for something of equal or lesser value.
Q. Is an on-site coordinator or wedding rehearsal included in my Hawaii wedding package?
A. Sometimes. It depends upon the package or services you have selected. Some services it is included and others it is not. However, you can always add one if you would like.
Q. What Hawaii wedding locations are your packages good for? Where will the wedding take place?
A. Our packages are venue-neutral meaning they are not for one specific location but rather can be done at almost any venue you choose. This means you can get married anywhere you want including a beach, garden, hotel, church, estate or wherever you choose. If you elect to have a beach wedding, we will get the permit for you with the purchase of any Hawaii wedding package. If you get married at a private site that has a site fee, the site would be additional to the cost of the package and not included our Hawaii wedding package rate.
Q. Will you help me select a Hawaii wedding location?
A. Absolutely!
Q. What is the best time and day for a beach wedding?
A. Monday - Thursday from sunrise to 10 AM and 3:00 to about 30 minutes after sunset. Weekends are heavily packed with beachgoers and mid-day lighting is hot causing people to sweat and squint in photos therefore not recommended.
Q. What beaches do you recommend?
A. We recommend Waimanalo Bay for those seeking crystal blue water with white powdery sand. We recommend Makapu'u for those seeking dramatic views that are unique to Hawaii including lava rocks, views of rabbit island and mountains. We recommend Papialoa beach on the north shore for sunset weddings. We recommend Lanakai for sunrise weddings. For those seeking a grassy area fronting the ocean but not actually in the sand, we recommend Kualoa State Park/ Chinaman's Hat. For those staying in the Ko'olina area, the choices are very limited but we recommend paying a site fee for Paradise Cove or Lanikohuna or driving to the north shore. For those staying at Turtle Bay, we recommend sunset beach or Papialoa beach.
Q. What private sites do you recommend?
A. There are too many to list. However, we recommend Kualoa Ranch's Moli'i Gardens, Hale Moli'i and Secret Island. We also enjoy Haiku Gardens, Turtle Bay's Wedding Pavilion, Paradise Cove's the Point location, Prince Kuhio Gazebo, the Hale Koa Hotel, Lou Lu Palms Estate, Sunset Ranch and the Bayer Estate. This is obviously a very short list of the hundreds of places but they tend to be places our brides enjoy the most.
Q. Do I have to purchase a Hawaii wedding package or can I do everything ala carte?
A. It's your choice. You can do everything ala carte or purchase a package. However, we have a $800 minimum purchase requirement for all ala carte weddings.
Q. Is there a guest count limit?
A. Our company specializes in small intimate Hawaii weddings only with guest counts ranging from 2 to about 40 people. We do not do larger events. Our average destination Hawaii wedding has about 25 people. Some venues do have size limits as well so please inquire about the venue you are considering.
Q. Can I set up chairs or an arch on a public beach?
A. Personally, we don't mind if you do, but the state has made it illegal to set up chairs and arches on any public beach in the entire state of Hawaii. We STRONGLY urge you to follow the law and go to a private venue like Secret Island if you want to have chairs and arches on the beach. However, if you choose to set up chairs or arch on a public beach you will be doing so against the law and we cannot be a part of it. If you do without our knowledge it will not stop us from providing services to you on your wedding day. So, if you do it on your own, we will still service your event without any disrupt on our part. If you are sited, we will not be held accountable and you may face up to a $5,000 fine and/or jail time.
TIP - NEVER EVER set up arches or chairs on Waialae Beach, Kahala beach, Lanikai Beach, Kailua Beach, Sunset Beach, Secret Lagoon, Ihilani Lagoon, Paradise Cove beach/lagoon or Sandy's Beach. We can almost guarantee you will be fined if not arrested if you attempt to set up at any of those locations. People will often set up on Waimanalo Bay, Bellows, Chinaman's Hat, Makapu'u rocky outlook (not Makapu'u main beach) and Keiki beach without issue and we urge you to limit your wedding to those venues if you intend on setting up at a public beach.
Q. How can I rent chairs and arches on my own?
A. Call one of the rental companies below. It is important that you ensure that they have everything set up before we arrive. So, if our services start at 5:00 PM, they need to have everything set up before then which also means there won't be an on-site coordinator there to tell them where to set up. You will need to tell them exactly where to set up. The rental company will be responsible for delivery, set up, tear down, clean up and take away. Again, we cannot be a part of this in any way so we will not assist in any way before or on the wedding day when it comes to illegal chairs or arches but we won't prevent you from doing it on your own either.
Rental Companies
Hawaii Tents and Events
http://www.hawaiitents.com/
Aloha Party Rentals
http://www.alohapartyrentals.com/
Accel Party Rentals
http://www.accelrentals.com/
Q. Is setting up chairs and arch on a public beach really that risky?
A. There is not a direct answer to this question. You see, it is not the beachgoers you need to worry about. The average beachgoer is usually delighted to see a beach wedding. However, you do need to worry about the lifeguard, the local home owners who are fed up with all the weddings blocking the view from their million dollar beach front home, the hotel staff that are being paid to report you and competing wedding companies who will call and report you simply to hurt their competition. In addition, there are random people from the DLNR, police and security patrols that may or may not site you. The fact of the matter is you never know who is going to be at the beach that day. You can do 100 weddings without problems and then 101 is the one where everyone is arrested. So, is it risky? Yes. Do a lot of people do it without any problems? Yes. Is it illegal? Yes. Do people do it anyways? Yes. Again, personally we don't care if you do it on your own but professionally speaking we can't be a part of it. The majority of people do it without issue but not everyone. It is a gamble but the odds are in your favor. However, it is your wedding day and do you really want to leave it to chance?
Q. Do I have to purchase a Hawaii wedding package or can I do everything ala carte?
A. It's your choice. You can do everything ala carte or purchase a package. However, we have a $800 minimum purchase requirement for all ala carte weddings.
Q. Can I customize my bouquet?
A. Yes. We have a bouquet menu but if you don't find what you are seeking from our menu, you can an upgrade to a custom bouquet for an additional $25 plus any additional bouquet fees if applicable.
Q. Where is the bouquet menu?
A. Coming soon, bouquets will be highlighted in our online bridal lounge.
Q. What is the Bridal Lounge?
A. Our bridal lounge is an online resource area exclusively for Romance Specialist brides to get tips, advise, answers to questions, see examples of real weddings, bouquet menu, driving directions, contact information and more!
Q. Can I purchase a CD with all my wedding images?
A. Yes. If your wedding package doesn't include all your wedding images then you will be able to purchase a collection CD with all the high resolution files after the wedding for $395 to $495. We do not advance sell wedding CDs.
Q. Who will my wedding vendors be (minister, photographer, etc..)?
A. We have a variety of excellent Hawaii wedding vendors and they are assigned to each wedding based upon scheduling. After booking, you'll receive a tentative vendor report outlining your vendors but it could change closer to the event date.
Q. Can I request specifics about the minister or officiant?
A. Yes! You can request a male or female officiant, if you want to write your own vows, ceremony type, processional line up and more. You'll also do a phone consult with the officiant/minister a few days prior to the ceremony to ensure they have the ceremony just the way you want it.
Q. Can I pick which minister, photographer, etc.. I'll have?
A. Unlike an individual wedding vendor where you are hiring a person, we are a professional wedding business with various vendors. Our vendors can and do change so we do not guarantee a specific vendor therefore we don't give out a list for people to choose from. Ample samples may be found on our website for people to see the quality of work we provide. However, one of the best benefits of a business like ours is unlike hiring an individual vendor that is only one person, if one of our vendors gets sick or has an emergency, we still have you covered and your wedding will go on uninterrupted while with an individual vendor you will be left hanging with no back up. Another benefit is that unlike an individual wedding vendor who is selling themselves to you but accountable only to themselves, our vendors actually have a boss who holds them accountable for their standards and actions. Our vendors are interviewed, pre-screened, have at least 5 years professional wedding experience and proven track records. You will not get these types of checks and balances or accountability when you hire an individual wedding vendor. Our method ensures no matter what, you'll have a great experience.
Q. Are you in Hawaii and San Diego?
A. Yes. We are full time in Hawaii and have been for many years. However, starting in July of 2012 we will be opening an office in San Diego, California in addition to Hawaii.
Q. Do you offer bridal boudoir?
A. Yes! We love bridal boudoir sessions.
Q. Do you offer trash the dress sessions?
A. Absolutely!
Q. Can I provide my own vendors or do I have to use yours?
A. We highly prefer you use ours to ensure everything goes smoothly. However, you are welcome to bring in your own full time professional wedding vendors if you want. Please note, students, amateurs, anyone found on craigslist or friends of friends acting like pros will not be permitted to function as a wedding vendor at any of our event. Professionals only please.
If you have more questions, please call 1-866-624-8933. Mahalo!